New Game
by TheDarknessConsumes
Summary: Sacrificing herself to save both mankind and her brother seemed a fitting way to atone for her mistakes; waking up in bed, however, wasn't something that Velvet could have anticipated. New Game fic. Spoilers for the entire game.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Have some word vomit/venting.**

 **-X- -X-**

" _I want... To live."_

Velvet Crowe was a selfish woman; years of sitting, cold and alone, in a dark, dank cell, devoid of human interaction and with nothing but the hollow cries of monsters and her own inner turmoil had firmly implanted that into her very nature.

Her sense of self-dependence and hatred was only magnified by the constant memories of her loss and her own brother's betrayal. Even achieving her goal of vengeance and reuniting with what was left of her brother couldn't truly change that, nor could the bonds she had made or the things she had done since escaping.

Life, she considered, was cruel. Cold, callous and capricious at best, it left you bitter and hollow and gave you scarcely a chance at normalcy if you were lucky. It destroyed you otherwise, leaving only a husk behind.

Still, as she lay there she considered once more just what she would have done differently if given the chance, just what she would have given to correct some of her misdemeanours and crimes against the nature of humanity itself. Prevented those daemon attacks she had orchestrated, focused on her team's (friends, even) needs just a _little_ more, saved so many of those poor innocents... People just like her, in the wrong place at the wrong time following the rules of the wrong people. (No different from her, indeed.)

She could have been less of a monster.

Yet even as she tried to focus past the haze of regret and the dull throb of pain echoing throughout her body she couldn't deny that same selfish desire that had plagued her since day one, pushing her to vengeance and a desperate search for answers. A voice normally so loud and angry, mewling like a wounded cat in whimpers and sobs as it tried to push her once more.

" _I want to live!"_ It cried, struggling past the barriers of penance and discipline she had put in place, scratching feebly at her psyche and drawing a grimace of anguish.

'We're done with this.' She tried to argue, ignoring its intent with determination as she held her brother close.

" _I want to live!"_

'We had... Our chance!' She growled, shaking dark locks free of her face and scrunching her nose at the wisps of hair that brushed across her face. _'What...?'_

" _I want to live!"_

"I said NO!" With a yell she shot up, eyes shooting open to take in the dull expanse of wood before her. "What?" She breathed.

Her arms were empty.

"No!" She shot up, untangling herself from her strangely soft chains to take in her surroundings. Aged yet clearly cared for wooden walls and sparse yet maintained furniture in varying shades of soft lilac and warm white; a set of familiar drawers stood beside her, drawing her attention from the simplistic furnishings to the sturdy green door leading out into- "Home? Aball? I'm..."

A shaky breath escaped her as she took in the smattering of notes on the table and she swallowed as she stood, almost delicately climbing from the small bed to her feet and slowly wondering out of the facsimile of what had once been her room.

' _A diagram of a compass, a book on ancient theories and a recipe...'_ "I'm home?" She repeated in disbelief. ' _Another illusion perhaps, probably, but-'_ A series of short, sharp coughs interrupted her musings and the girl spun before she could even register her own thoughts, wild amber eyes falling on the frail form lying just around the corner. "L-Laphi...?" She whispered.

Warm eyes of a similar hue to her own stared over at her, questioning and alarm shining through in equal measure. "Velvet, are you..." With a sigh the boy shook his head, cutting off whatever he'd been about to say. "I told you to stop calling me Laphi! And where did you get those clothes?"

Velvet started slightly, unconsciously glancing down at her tattered red top and the myriad of royal-red-on-gold belts and buckles attaching the aquamarine coat she'd so recently earned. "I- This?" Of all the things he could say he was asking about her clothing? "Laphicet... Is it actually you?"

Now the boy's startled gaze met hers and he flinched, squinting as she stepped closer. "Of course it's me, are you feeling oka-" A sudden coughing fit cut him off and the boy leaned back.

Immediately her albeit rusty sisterly instincts kicked in and Velvet shot forward, pushing him back into bed and resting her bare palm on his forehead. "Careful, you'll get sick if you push yourself." The words escaped before she could even register their presence and she stilled, eyes darting between the pouting boy and her palm. "Warm..." She murmured in confusion.

"I'm fine!" Laphicet protested, unaware of her inner turmoil. "Are you going to the cape today? Can I come?"

Her memories of the last time this had happened rushed to the fore and she swallowed, pulling her hand away and clenching her fist by her side. Last time it had been Melchior responsible for this, but they'd killed him... Hadn't they? "Sure." The words were cold as she swept to her feet and her 'brother' flinched even as he climbed to his feet, wary gratitude mingling with a sort of confused anxiety as he watched her.

Harsh steps carried her towards the door and she couldn't help slowing as the boy struggled to keep up with her, sighing even as she tried to push down the unwarranted guilt.

"Oh?" She froze. "Heading out, are we?" A familiar face smiled calmly over at her, blue eyes twinkling with a dull sense of amusement. "I hope you'll take good care of your brother."

"Arth- Artorius." She hissed, struggling to control herself. The figure was only an illusion, a glimpse into her past and an unwelcome memory, but...

"There have been sightings of Daemon in the outskirts of the woods. Hurry back if anything feels amiss." He warned, casual smile failing to hide the tense twitch of his form as a hand fell to his side.

Shoulders shook as she struggled to contain herself, however none of the intense bloodlust or dark rage she'd felt in the past pushed past her own indignation and she froze as she felt a small palm take hold of her own. "We'll be fine." Her brother's voice cut through the slowly thickening haze of red. "After all, Velvet's got some cool new gear. Right, Velvet?"

A blink and she glanced down at her equipment, eyeing her Mysterious blade and adamantite armour and suddenly her eyes shot back up to Arthur, re-evaluating him.

Confusion lurked within his gaze and as she shifted she could practically _feel_ him do the same, returning her aggressive stare with a wary kindness. Slowly she relaxed, clenching her brother's hand tighter. "Yeah! I figured if you're done chopping firewood then maybe I'll see about getting some sausages for dinner; besides, Niko's been waiting to see Laphi anyway!" She chirped falsely, pasting on a smile as she hastily stepped past him.

"Alright," Despite his tight smile Arthur continued to examine her gear. "But-"

"Okay, we'll be back by dinner!" She chirped again, swallowing distaste as she ran past him.

Artorius wasn't an idiot and even as he failed to re-emerge from the house she knew it was simply because he was waiting for her to turn around; Laphicet's health was more important to her than hiding expensive things after all, and as strange as she was acting he wouldn't mistake Velvet for anyone other than who she was. He'd taught her, after all.

"Velvet!" Laphicet yelped as she practically dragged him along, stopping before the shop and casually ignoring the few greetings tossed her way by startled townsfolk. The people of the village failed to garner her interest even as she smothered her nostalgia, darting over to the general store and grabbing at the few things of use she could see. "What-"

"Laphi, remember that adventure you always wanted to go on?" The shopkeeper (and she surely couldn't be expected to remember his name after all these years, right?) finally got the hint and stopped trying to greet her, instead blinking owlishly as she tossed a bag filled with probably far too much Gald at him and handed her brother a variety of gels.

"Y-Yeah?" The boy's confusion was apparent even as he pocketed the apple gels, carefully cradling a set of phials worth more than twice their grocery salary and furrowing his brow at her behaviour.

"We're going right now. I-I found a cure..." His reactions were so _real_ and even if this was just some cruel trickery of Innominat's she found herself hoping anyway, kneeling beside the child and desperately running her thumb across the side of his hand as he finished tucking away the excess items she'd bought. "...A cure to your sickness."

"What, what cure? Velvet, there isn't..." Laphicet's brow furrowed as she leaned in, oblivious to the townspeople milling about as she met his gaze. "There's no cure, Velvet."

"There is! I found it Laphicet, I-" Her thoughts whirred and her heart clenched as she stared into the boy's eyes, memories of constant vigils and sad pleas of adventure came to the fore. "-I found it in the woods! There was a book and it spoke of a twelve-year sickness! It mentioned that the disease was rare and the cure was hard to obtain, but we can! We need to go to..." Velvet trailed off, mind racing as she looked away from her brother's inquisitive and warily hopeful stare. "Kurogane's workshop... Davahl forest, the ice caps and then... Galles... near Aldina? There's four ingredients! Laphicet, we can cure you!"

Without her teammates to ground her and her revenge to hold her up the Therion could feel her psyche fracturing again, the past returning to swallow her in nostalgia and the sense of loss she'd felt for those three long years.

Almost of their own volition her hands fell quickly to clamp down on his shoulders, eyes returning once more to the boy's own awed pair. "I want you to write this all down Laphicet, we're going on an adventure!"

Her brother was never without his trusty journal and as the boy's shaky hands delved into his shirt she felt a keening, a distant echo of hope that only intensified as she caught sight of the familiar orange-on-brown hue of a gift she'd given so long ago. "Okay, w-what do you want me to write?" He asked quietly, glancing away from her penetrating stare and bringing his other hand to the half-filled pages, pencil in tow.

"Long Lau dust, a cloudsheep egg, A Unicorn- A Narwhal horn and a leaf of the World tree. We need those and the... Prayers of a Malak." Nodding decisively, Velvet stood to her full height and became aware once more of the stares being levelled their way. None of these villagers had mattered to her before, mere background characters to the play that was her life; a familiar head of red lay just out of her field of vision however and with a twinge of regret and something not entirely dissimilar to longing she spun on her heel, taking a step towards the entrance to the village. "We've got to go now though."

Small footsteps failed to materialize beside her and she paused as she turned, eyeing her brother's confused and hesitant visage. "B-but, what about Arthur? And aren't we going to say goodbye to Niko or Orthie and Russ?"

"Laphi," Velvet pursed her lips, pale digits falling to her sides as she looked away. "I'm going now. They'll still be here when we get back but you don't have much time. You need to decide."

Her heart raced as she silently turned back to the gate, fixing her amber eyes to the ground and steeling herself for rejection or some desperate attempts to dissuade her. So focused on her resolve was she that she was almost startled when a small set of feet appeared beside her. "Okay." A small voice sounded, nervous yet sure. "Okay, let's go."

Words failed her and instead the young woman affixed her attention to the distant trees leading away from the village. Silently she nodded, bringing her free hand to his and taking the first step towards another life.

 **-X- -X-**

"Are we going to Taliesin?" Bright cheer drew Velvet from the familiarity of her reverie and she flinched slightly as she turned her attention to her brother's inquisitive smile.

Over an hour had passed since leaving Aball and yet despite that they had yet to encounter any form of daemon or even the familiar tinge of malevolence; even Melchior with his illusions and connections had failed to mask the stench of darkness that afflicted this land and she found herself wondering just when her good luck was going to run out.

"Velvet?"

Blinking, the dark-haired woman brushed her thick locks from her face and shot her curious sibling a warm smile. "Sorry, I was distracted. Yes, we're going to Taliesin. The port's a center of trade and if we want a ship then we'll need to find a ship to cross the ocean."

"Cross the ocean? You mean we're really going to go on an adventure!?" His beaming smile was like a beacon of innocence and she found herself clinging to it even as she prepped herself for another letdown.

"Yes. We'll gather some sale'tomah at the docks and rent a room at the inn, and then while we wait for dinner I'll negotiate with one of the trade ships at port for passage to port Cadnix; we'll get the first ingredient there in the Vesper tunnels, then-"

"Wow," Laphicet gaped up at her, eyes wide with surprise. "You really have everything planned out, huh? Is that why we had to leave so quickly?"

Velvet seized the excuse offered, nodding slowly even as she raised a lecturing finger in unwitting semblance of an old friend. "O-Of course; it always pays to have everything planned out in advance. Why do tomorrow what you can do today after all?" The scratch of lead drew her from her stance and she blinked as she saw his attention firmly on his book, hastily writing down the lessons imparted. "Ah, it's not that interesting Laphi."

Ignoring the childish form of address, Laphicet shook his head in refusal. "It is too! You totally sounded like Arthur there, Velvet!" Almost like he'd been struck by some insane insight the boy's back straightened, gaze shooting to the sky in a paroxysm of inspiration. "That's it! I'll call it 'Velvet's Maxims!' Then when you're older and grey I can sell it on as an ancient source of knowledge!"

A familiar sisterly sense of aggravation struck and she seized it with her all, turning stormy orbs onto his oblivious form. "Who are you calling ancient, I'm only nineteen!" She huffed, swiftly rapping him on the side of the head.

"Ow!" More startled than in pain the boy nonetheless clutched his head, pouting as he stuffed his journal back away. "Nineteen? I'm pretty sure you haven't gone and aged three years in, like, a day, Velvet! Even if you did find some really cool equipment..."

"Oh, ah, right." For once she found herself blustering as she responded, a tinge of pink stealing its way across her cheeks.

"That reminds me though," Laphicet frowned, tilting his head in inquiry. "Where is the book you found?"

"I was attacked by wolves. I had to run but they tore up my clothes pretty bad. Luckily I managed to find this alongside the book and some other stuff." She lied. "Actually I was lucky I even managed to read the recipe anyway... A lucky miracle, maybe."

It struck her as he nodded that she'd become quite adept at lying to the people that trusted her and another twinge struck, leaving a hollow surge of regret to fester. "You haven't been to Taliesin in quite a while, have you Laphicet? Looking forward to seeing the ocean again?"

"Yeah!" The boy's face lit up as he looked towards the distant gates coming into view and a sad smile graced her face. In a world as cruel as this one she wouldn't be surprised when he disappeared, whether it be when they went through the gates or when she next closed her eyes. Nonetheless she would cling to the few new memories she'd made, false though they may be.

" _HELP!"_

"Did you hear that!?" Laphicet turned in the direction she'd heard the scream come from and, with a beleaguered sigh, Velvet kept walking. "Velvet!"

"We can't help them." She instantly denied, pursing her lips as his face fell. "We'd just get in the way. The city has guards who will come to help him I'm sure. Meanwhile _you're_ my main priority, Laphicet. We've got to get to the inn before night falls."

" _HELP!"_

Laphicet turned back to the source of the cry and then to her, eyes wide as she stood there. "Velvet, we can't just leave them! I'm helping them!"

"You-" The stubborn set of his jaw was all Celica and she sighed once more as she looked down at her gauntlet blade, watching her reflection in the blade and suppressing another sigh. "Fine. I'll go help him, but you need to stay behind me." She instructed sharply, trudging off further into the woods. "The instant you don't we're going, whether you like it or not."

Laphicet nodded as he fell behind her and she knew that was as good as she was going to get. "I think it came from over there." The boy's small finger pointed off even further into the woods and she could already tell she was going to regret this.

"Stay close." With that final warning she drew her blade, stalking silently into the bushes and peeking around the trees.

" _Please, anyone? HELP!"_

The cries came from a young man, his well-dressed appearance marred slightly by the nicks and tears in his outfit and his panicked hold onto the branch above him. Below a pair of Lycanthropes bayed for his blood and she grimaced as she heard her brother gasp behind her, drawing attention from the beast's no doubt enhanced senses. _"Laphi, stay here."_ With that she dashed forward, sliding to a halt in front of the two daemons and pulling all of their focus from the dishevelled civilian above. "Come get some!"

Twin growls resounded as the two lower-tier daemons dashed towards her and immediately she slid forward, tensing as she placed one leg before her in a familiar fighting stance.

Normally against such weak foes she'd simply open and close with an enhanced grab at the first and a follow up kick on the second, however as that was no longer an option she simply deflected the first monster's slash, sending it stumbling into its friend and digging at its defences with a quick and efficient jab.

The first beast howled as it spun, mindless rage sending the other Lycanthrope tumbling and in that moment she finished it, slashing at its throat and plunging her blade into the other downed foe before it could recover.

For a brief moment all was silent, even the surrounding forest seeming to still in the wake of such abrupt violence, but then the voice of her brother permeated the air, a shrill cry that startled her from her reverie.

"Velvet, that was amazing!" Laphicet crowed, fists clenched as she blinked down at him. "How did you even do that!? I never knew you could fight like that!"

Velvet swallowed, shrugging nonchalantly as she felt her face begin to heat up. "I just did what I've always done." She intoned evasively. "It was nothing. They were weaker than the pack I encountered earlier."

"Thank you so much!" Another voice made itself known and she turned to the deceased beasts victim, nodding in response as she witnessed the man's grateful face come into view. "You really saved my bacon there!"

"It was nothing." She sighed, turning away in embarrassment as both boys stared up at her in awe. "Stop acting like children, there could be more in the forest."

The reminder drew them up short and hastily they fell into step beside her, joining her in a march back to the gates. "Nonetheless, you saved me there. I was going to head to Aball to see my girlfriend but I hadn't taken note of the time. Normally such daemons aren't witnessed this close to town though..."

The man's disturbed expression jostled forth a memory and she set her hand down on Laphicet's shoulder as she met his gaze. "You're Niko's boyfriend, aren't you?"

Wide green eyes blinked as he re-examined her and then widened further. "That hair and those eyes, and your brother... Could you be Velvet?"

A brisk nod and she marched a little more determinedly towards the gates, placing a hand against the inlaid stone and pushing her little brother in before her. "That's right. You're that vet she's dating, right?"

"Vet-in-training, actually, but yes! What are the chances?" A disbelieving chuckle escaped him and he smiled a little more warmly. "The way Niko talks about you, it feels like you're already family! My parents own the inn, please, stay the night on us."

"That..." She floundered for an excuse for a second before her gaze fell back on her brother's innocent smile. "...Alright. Thank you."

"No problem." He smiled.

Taliesin was exactly as she remembered and as she stepped through the gate she found herself examining the swooping arches and brilliant marble architecture with fond remembrance.

"Wow Velvet, it's always so beautiful."

Absently she nodded, barely registering as Niko's fiancée waved her a farewell. "Laphi, go with Niko's boyfriend to the inn. I'm going to go get us a ship for the journey, okay?" She ordered softly, swallowing as he blinked up at her and nodded. "Good, I-I'll see you soon."

As he wandered after the older boy she turned her attention to the docks, indecision running through her.

This dream was too good to be true. Her brother, Niko's boyfriend, the villagers, the woods... The level of power was beyond anything she'd ever seen before. Was this the power of Innominat?

She was happier than she'd ever been right now, in fact she wasn't even sure she wanted to wake up. Her allies weren't here, but her brother and Aball were. Though... Arthur didn't belong. Maybe she could consider this a sweet dream or her truest dream, to go back and do things all over again, but if that was the case then why would Arthur possibly be here?

Disregarding that line of query, would things end when she fell asleep? Or when she got on the boat? When would this world simply fade back into her nightmare?

Such thoughts plagued her as she stepped down towards the dock and she nearly failed to notice when the pale white faded into darker tones and wooden docks.

With a sigh she resolved to push the horrifying reality to the back of her mind for now and steeled herself for negotiations. "Excuse me..."

 **-X- -X-**

Morning came far too quickly and Velvet found that despite her earlier resolve she'd still had trouble clearing her mind and dark thoughts had plagued her all night.

The inn itself was as small and homely as she remembered however and as she exited the room she was surprised to find her brother already up, feet swinging as he hummed to himself on the opposite table. "Up so soon? I thought I'd have to come in and wake you myself!" She teased, the familiar fog of memory settling over her.

Laphicet looked up with a beaming grin, shrugging as he fiddled with his sleeves.

"Something wrong?" She finally asked when the boy didn't seem willing to make the first move.

His grin faltered slightly as he looked away and a tinge of pink stole its way across his pale cheeks. "So... I know you've been kinda sad lately, and I guess that _something's_ bothering you and I _know_ you found that 'Elixir' recipe and everything but I also know that you broke your comb so... so I wanted to do something for you. So..." With a deep breath the boy closed his eyes, thrusting out his hands towards her. "Here!"

A familiar looking wooden comb lay nestled within his grip, bared palms revealing the ornate swirls and a curve of fine craftsmanship that drew a sharp intake of breath from the older girl. "This is-!" Quickly she regained her composure, reaching out slowly to take the gift and examine it with wonder. "I- When did you...?"

"I sold some transcripts for it yesterday before you got home." He said shyly, tilting his head as he watched her. "Are you okay, Velvet?"

Warmth prickled at her eyes and hastily she wiped her sleeve against her face, cursing her all-too-human display of emotion. "Yeah, I'm just a little overwhelmed. Thank you, Laphi." She spoke earnestly.

His grin returned with a new intensity to it and despite herself she found her lips curling into the first genuine smile she'd shown in a while.

"Breakfast's on the house!" A new voice interjected and they both blinked as Niko's boyfriend stepped toward their table.

"I don't-!" Velvet tried to wave away the offered meal, however a sudden growl startled her from her objections and she turned between the two only to find two faces identical in their expressions. "Was that me?" She blushed as they gawped, shoulders hunching as they both started to laugh.

"Sounds like I got here just in time. Another few seconds and you might have been her next meal!" He joked with Laphicet, smiling at the boy mischievously and failing to notice her sudden flinch.

"Yeah, thanks." She played along, a little more subdued now. "We'll have to dine and dash though, the ship's leaving early."

"Ah, alright." He agreed readily. "Some fruit then? It's the least I could do!"

Velvet slowly nodded, licking her lips as she did so. "...I don't suppose you've got any apples?" A sigh emerged from the other side of the table and a rueful chuckle escaped her as she remembered her brother's dislike of fruit and vegetables alike. "A healthy start to the day is always a necessity. Laphi."

"My name's Laphicet!" He blustered as the other boy laughed and wandered back into the kitchen.

"Right." Her lips twitched again and she nodded in thanks as her request was fulfilled, a hand without callous or care handing her a basket full of apples and oranges.

"Take care." He spoke cheerfully as they both stood and her returning cheer felt waxy as she realized that she didn't even know his name. "I'll tell Niko you said hi!"

"Thanks."

As the two stepped out the door she instinctively grabbed her brother's hand, ignoring his discomfort at the motion and pulling him along. "I can walk on my own you know." He complained.

"I know, I know." She sighed. "Still, just this once? I'm feeling nostalgic."

The boy reluctantly nodded, waving behind him with his other hand as their recent patron disappeared from view. "You didn't even say goodbye to Lou."

""Lou"?" She repeated, eyeing him strangely.

"Niko's boyfriend." The words were flat as he rolled his eyes and she hummed nonchalantly in response. "Milou."

"So that's his name." She murmured to herself, casting her gaze out over the busy portside city and watching the dockworkers working away. "I never knew."

"Huh, funny. I thought Niko would've told you about him." Laphicet wondered teasingly.

She huffed as she eyed him, slowing slightly as they went down the stairs. "Brat." She retorted fondly, slowing before a jovial yet jittery looking man standing in front of the docks.

The man's protruding stomach and simple clothing did nothing to hide the obvious muscle of a well-seasoned sailor and dry lips cracked a smile as she nodded in greeting. "Had thought you'd chicken out after last time we met." He greeted.

"Sailing stories and fairytales don't scare me old man." She sighed and he cackled as she slapped a pouch into his awaiting hand.

"With kit like that and an attitude to match I have to wonder... Are you an exorcist?" The man's gaze roamed over her unique dress style and the blade affixed to her wrist and she simply shrugged half-heartedly in response, neither confirming nor denying the claim. "Well, regardless, if you can protect our cargo we'll happily agree to set sail a little earlier than normal."

Laphicet's startled gaze bore into her and she pointedly ignored his curiosity as she nodded in agreement. "Will do; just have us well out at sea by sunset and I'll take care of any unwanted visitors."

"Ay, miss." The sailor chuckled, beckoning the two of them onto the boat.

"Velvet...?" Laphicet swallowed, looking up at her warily.

Velvet regarded the far-too-real facsimile, chuckling hollowly as she cradled the comb in her now free hand. "It's that day, isn't it Laphicet? The day that we lost Celica... I don't want to take any chances." She excused shakily.

Laphicet hummed, gripping her hand a little tighter as he followed her onto the ship. "...k."

Minutes later the ship left port and she felt a weight leave her shoulders. "We're going to port Zekson first." She informed the nervous boy beside her.

Silently he nodded, staring out at the vast expanse of blue before them. "I can't believe it. This is the ocean? I'm... At sea..."

Her cheeks felt tight and it struck her that she hadn't smiled this much is so short a span of time since... "Hey," She started, cutting that line of thought off at the head. "Why don't you take a look around the boat and see what you can learn? I'm pretty sure the navigator wouldn't mind fielding some questions." She nodded towards the stoic looking boy staring out to sea and felt a twinge of guilt as he returned the gesture, chipper as he dashed off with a speed belying his frail physique.

"Kids, eh?" The captain leaned over beside her, following her gaze to the two boys and releasing a boisterous laugh. "Them and their compasses. I'll never get it myself, but then I suppose I'm just a merchant man myself."

"Hm." The ship juddered slightly and she unconsciously moved away from the edge, scowling down at the roiling waves.

"You remind me of a man I once saw at sea," He grinned widely. "A man named Aifread. I ran with him back when I was a lad. Before I decided to settle down." He continued at her surprise. "I take it you've heard the name before?"

Slowly she nodded, scowl lessening into a neutral line. "Once or twice. Good man from what I've heard."

Another laugh, this time louder even than the first and the man slapped a knee with a weathered hand. "First I've ever heard someone call 'im _that!_ But..." He paused, bringing his arm up to shield his arm as he gazed up at the birds overhead. "...Ay, he is a good man."

'" _Is."'_ She blinked, silently rolling a shoulder as she moved to lean against the wood once more. "Yeah." She said simply.

After another moment of seeming introspection the sailor wandered off, mumbling about them making port by nightfall and advising her to get some rest beforehand.

The sailors on the ship were clearly civilians and as she watched them interacting she found herself staring up at the clear blue sky with a kind of light-hearted happiness, a bubble of happiness that couldn't be popped by her usual maudlin despair. "Maybe... Just a few minutes." She decided, settling down beside the banister and closing her eyes.

By the time she opened them again the sky was red.


	2. Chapter 2

"Velvet! Velvet, wake up!"

Velvet mumbled as she felt a hand on her shoulder, eyes shooting open as she forcefully suppressed the urge to lash out.

It was lucky that she had; Laphicet stared down at her, worry and panic shining through in equal measure.

"Laphi?" She started, the fog of sleep steadily dissipating. "What's wrong? Are you-" She froze, gazing above at the crimson moon hanging overhead.

"I don't know what to do; the crew are all acting weird and I-"

Velvet didn't hesitate, throwing herself to her feet and examining the deck even as she pushed her brother behind her. "Stay close." She ordered, new fears arising as she watched the crew stumble around, varying stages of anguish painted across their faces and motions jerky. "We need to get below deck; once we're there I want you to barricade yourself in."

Without waiting for an answer she grabbed his hand, edging around the side of the sickly sailors and nudging him towards the stairs.

"GroooooOOOAW~!"

Thick fur began to sprout across the face of one of the beleaguered sailors as he started to grow and she hastily pushed her little brother back towards the top deck as the others soon followed suit. "Stay back!" she warned for both of their sakes, unsheathing her blade with a single motion and preparing to strike.

The sound of cloth and muscle alike tearing echoed through the air as they finished their mutations, almost synchronized in their transformations.

Even as the boat jerked and juddered beneath the pressure of the waves she could see feral gazes turning to the fresh meat among them and she tensed, eyes darting between her targets as she prepared to meet them.

The first to charge met her blade and she ignored the throbbing ache in her shoulder as she lashed out, deflecting its strike and slashing it along the neck with her blade before twisting to meet another more tiger-like daemon.

The beast pounced forward and she stabbed forward with almost contemptuous ease, piercing its chest and kicking it aside in time to meet yet another; for what seemed like minutes this routine continued, slashes, dashes and kicks holding the newly born monsters at bay, however her human body was only capable of so much and she was stunned when she heard a sudden cry of pain that sounded distinctly human.

The daemons didn't pause as she spun and she gasped as she felt thick claws slide across her back, failing to tear through her coat yet sending her stumbling towards her panicking brother.

"Velvet!" Laphicet yelped as he moved forward, small hands falling onto her shoulders as he tried to steady her.

The waves continued to buffet them and she could hear the ship splintering even as she slid across cracked wet wood and the monsters behind them continued to bay for her blood.

The sea was wild and almost bestial as it shook them, the red moon overhead reflecting off of the water and foreshadowing the blood yet to fall; even as she stood there however she could hear strong feet padding after her, learning to compensate for the rocking of the ship as they hunted their prey.

She tried to stand but between Laphicet's worried stare and the enclosing growls she couldn't see a way out of this situation. The memory of another shipwreck struck and sharply she focused on the distance, spying the faint silhouette of land beyond the wild waves. "Laphi..." She grunted, gripping him closer and struggling to the edge of the ship.

"Velvet!" The ship was tilting, she realized with a sense of certainty, and she knew that if she didn't do this now they wouldn't get another chance.

"Hold on!" She warned, clenching him as tight as she could and bursting forward with a surge of speed the disoriented monsters couldn't match; with a dual set of yells the two siblings cleared the ship, thrown over the side by her sudden movement and given to the mercy of the ocean.

Even as they water continued besiege them she focused on that distant land, one arm holding her fragile brother tight even as she pushed them towards their survival. _'Hold on!'_ She hoped even as he went slack in her grip, grunting and struggling to hold her breath as frigid ice water fought them every inch of the way.

It felt like hours as she swam, however she knew it had barely been minutes before she finally felt sand and rock slide underneath her, a final wave throwing them onto the shoreline to choke and cough out the shoddy saltwater.

"La-Laphicet!" Shooting to her feet she released the youth, releasing a breath of relief as he immediately began to choke out the seawater. "We're safe now. Laphi, you're safe!"

The boy shuddered as she collapsed beside him, panicked eyes turning back to the supernatural occurrence above. "The Scarlet night..." He rasped, grabbing at her coat with feverish fingers and turning to meet her. "Arthur, he-"

Despite his attempt to still himself she could immediately see where he'd been going and her eyes widened, shooting to the sky just in time to see a blast of light sear through the sky. "Arthur..." She gasped, amber eyes flickering with shock. "...What did you do?"

Thankfully Laphicet didn't hear her stunned query, too distracted by the act of coughing up saltwater and regaining his bearings to notice her strange knowledge; the question didn't become any less relevant because of that however, and her gaze roamed over his shaking form as she struggled to think.

Minutes passed as they lay there and eventually Velvet came to the realization that, dark and cold though it may be, they had to move. "Laphi, w-we need to go, we can't stay here." She told him and was surprised to see the determined nod in response. _'H-he's... stronger than I remember... Or maybe I'm just... a terrible sister and I never noticed it.'_ " _We-_ we'll go through this forest and..." She trailed off, surprise piercing the dull fugue as she registered just where they were.

Thick, white walls loomed in the distance, glimmering almost translucently even as they sloped down into the foliage far off. " _Wow_." She heard her brother pipe up beside her.

"The Empyreans throne." She said aloud, ignoring his surprised look in favour of looking towards the nearby forest. "Davahl?"

"Where are we?" Laphicet prodded, glancing away from the distant structure to look up at her.

"Davahl forest; it's-it's near Stonebury and it's w-where we'll find the first ingredient to make that... that 'Omega Elixir' I told you about." She informed him, a small tired smile alighting her face despite their recent tragedy. "We'll wait here instead then. The forest _won't_ be safe until morning."

"Oh." Laphicet shivered as he looked out to the sea and she could see him hone in on the sinking ship, broken wreckage crashing against the barely visible form of the ship's head.

A shudder wracked his frame and for the first time she became aware of the deep chill running through her, arms shaking as she instinctively clutched them close. All of a sudden her thin covering didn't seem the best idea she'd ever had and she tsk'ed as she grabbed his hand, pulling the distracted boy away from the tumultuous waves and onto dryer land, coming to a halt only when the boy's back was against a nearby tree. "Stay here... I'll gather some firewood." Her brother jolted, sniffling as he looked up at her and she sighed at his stubborn yet glazed gaze. "I won't be far, we just need some wood." She promised.

As he slowly settled back against the tree she wandered further into the dense foliage, snapping off brittle branches and snatching up stray sticks from the forest floor, all the while keeping a tense focus on the rustle of the woods and the whistle of the wind.

It took her barely a few minutes to gather up enough wood for their fire and she quickly made her way back to her reclined brother, taking in the wet clothing and clammy skin with a grimace. "I'm still not used to this." She whispered to herself aloud, dropping the firewood numbly near the sand and arranging it for the best possible angle against the wind.

A soft snore shook the air and she breathed out a chuckle as she saw her brother's features relax, the situation tingeing the action with hysteria. Nimble fingers flicked stone against stone and she exhaled sharply in relief as the fire started, immediately shrugging off her damp coat and gathering Laphicet's coat and shirt into a tight bundle.

The urge to dry their clothing and gather food was set aside as she noticed the cracked skin on her knuckles and a steadily growing lethargy and she grimaced as she instead began gathering leaves, brushing them over beside the fire and pushing her brother onto the makeshift bedding.

Desperately she tried to push herself to gather more supplies, to gather food and dry their coverings, however she barely managed another step towards the woods before her legs gave out beneath her. With a groan she shifted, dropping to her knees beside Laphicet and pulling him close. "S-Stay awake..." She tried to tell herself, gripping him tight and scrunching her face in concentration.

The order proved futile and she whimpered as her vision blurred, adrenaline abandoning her and pushing her into an unwanted slumber.

Dark visions flitted through her vision and her enforced rest was fitful as she struggled with her past, finally coming to with a blurred sense of something wrong and a strange rocking underfoot.

" _Again I ask; you're sure this girl knows you, Eizen? I wouldn't want a defenceless young girl panicking, waking up in a strange place with a bunch of strange men..."_ Velvet's brow twitched as the accented voice stabbed at her ears, blackness interrupted by a burst of light and a sudden gasp for breath. "Whoa there!"

Hastily she pushed herself out of the covers, scratching at the sheets as she fumbled for her gauntlet and became aware of her missing equipment. "I'd say so. And I doubt she's as defenceless as she looks, captain." She froze.

Wary amber eyes focused on the speaker and she gasped as dark eyes pierced her, twinkling blue orbs framed by golden locks as a glove-clad hand flipped a coin passively in its grasp. "Eizen?" She gasped. His familiar sardonic smirk fell into something slightly fonder and she swallowed as she spotted her weapon on the table, lying neatly atop a familiar aquamarine bundle of fabric beside a set of belts.

"Velvet!" A cheerful yell drew her attention and she blinked as Laphicet jumped into view, brushing past the bearded pirate stood beside her teammate and throwing an arm around her waist. "Velvet, we got rescued by pirates and they found that 'worldtree leaf' you mentioned and we're saili-"

"Laphi, calm down." She chided fondly, gripping his shoulders for a second and then jolting as his words sunk in. "You found the worldtree leaf already?" She questioned the taller blond sharply, brow furrowing as she stared.

A tinge of pink stole its way across his cheeks and he coughed into his fist, almost bashful in his actions. "Well, we were already in the area and as soon as I saw that journal of yours I knew you'd throw yourself back into trouble if I didn't."

"So I'm the one who throws myself into trouble?" She said dryly, lips twitching in amusement. "With that curse of yours I'd think you wouldn't want to take the risk. Thanks."

Eizen shrugged a single shoulder half-heartedly. "No problem. We spotted the wreckage from a distance. When I saw the smoke from your fire I had a hunch."

"A hunch, huh?" She murmured, fingers buried in the warm sheets as she looked up. "How long have I been out? We need to-"

"You've been out for three days and I can't come with you this time." He cut her off with a stoic frown.

Even for her the segue was sudden and she blinked as she sat up, momentarily thankful that they had apparently left her underclothing alone. "Oh. Wait, you- I _need_ to gather those ingredients and your ship may be the best..."

"I owe you. I know that, and so does my captain; we'll gather those ingredients of yours and in return I want you to do something for me." He nodded, resting against the wall and ignoring the bearded pirate's smirk.

"Name it." The thought of being left in the mud didn't appeal to her, yet when she considered that she would be dragging her little brother with her on such a dangerous journey...

"Head to Loegres and get in contact with the Bloodwings, and talk to that Shepherd of yours." He instructed firmly, gaze narrowing as her eyes widened.

"Artorius...?" She mumbled, dropping back to sit on the bed as she considered. "Of course, the Scarlet night. So he..."

The dour Malak shook his head, releasing a sigh as he looked away. "Who knows? Maybe there was some alternate way to activate it? Maybe he didn't even perform the ritual properly this time. Or maybe he just made do with his own sacrifi-"

"The ritual happened, and Artorius wouldn't have sacrificed himself. He needed a soul pure of sin-" The words slipped free before she could even consider them and as he levelled her with a look she realized what she had missed. "-which may be possible now. I- You're sure you can get them?"

Eizen raised an eyebrow.

"Right." She grumbled, embarrassed.

"Velvet, what's going on?" A confused voice queried and she jolted as she registered both her brother and Aifread standing there, dual expressions of confusion directed their way.

Velvet's gaze lowered from her brother's face to his other arm, for the first time spotting the strangely hued leaf cradled delicately within his grasp. "We're going to leave the ingredient gathering to these guys while we meet up with Arthur in the capital."

"Oh, okay." For a brief second disappointment flickered across his face, however it quickly disappeared as he latched onto the second part of her statement. "We're going to the capital? For real!?"

Again her lips quirked, softer this time, and beside her she heard her old teammate cough once more. "Yes, for real." She responded dutifully, rolling her eyes as he grinned. _'Boys, I swear...'_ "Be careful with that leaf as well."

"We've got a good hundred or so of 'em down below." Aifread spoke up for the first time, grin even wider than Laphicet's own. "I'm sure there's a market for a hitherto unseen cure, after all."

Greedily the man rubbed his palms together and she turned to Eizen, raising an eyebrow and clearing her throat as she watched him hide his face. _"Captain, now's not the time."_

"Oh!" Aifread cackled. "Right! We'll be making port in a few hours, unless you want to stay another day and come on over to Reneed? I'm joking, of course!"

The last part of his sentence was hastily tacked on and she sighed as she spotted Eizen's dark glare. "In that much of a rush to get rid of me, hm?" She jabbed.

"Of course, I don't need you making my luck any worse." He joked, jovial for all of a few seconds before he became serious once more. "I need you in the capital as soon as possible Velvet in case the others, no, _when_ the others show up, and... Things need to be different from last time, for all our sakes."

"I thought you were the master of your own fate?" She smirked, crossing her arms as she stared him down. He didn't verbally respond, however steely blue orbs roamed past her and softened as they landed on his captain and she understood his sudden resolve without needing to be told. "I'll go to the capital then, just get me that cure in three weeks or I'm going after it myself."

"Deal." He nodded. "Rest for now though, you're not as sturdy as you once were."

Velvet huffed, begrudgingly falling back against the pillows as the older pair exited the room and turning back to Laphicet. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." He smiled and tentatively she reached out, pulling him close and feeling for his temperature. "Seriously I'm fine, stop worrying!"

"Alright." She begrudgingly released him, chuckling as he backed away with a scowl. "But I'm a big sister, so it's my job to worry."

Laphicet blushed, glancing out at the ocean through the small window afforded to them. "Right, right." He relented on the age-old arguing point, fingers ruffling the edge of his new find with almost stupefied wonder.

Her smile softened as she reached out again to pull him into a hug and she rested her chin on his head, taking in the sensation of warm breath and soft hair and small shoulders with an almost hungry zeal. "You'll be healed soon enough Laphi, just gotta wait it out."

The boy didn't respond, but she could feel his grip tighten and in a way that was answer enough.

 **-X- -X-**

"Bye Mr. Eizen." Her brother smiled and they both chuckled as they recognized the look of hero-worship as one they'd both seen before.

True to form the older man dropped to one knee, poking the boy in the forehead. "Don't be like me." Was all he said before turning his attention back to her. "Good luck." He spoke as he fell into step beside her.

"Thanks." Her gaze wondered back over the crew watching from the ship and she hummed. "Not coming ashore?"

Eizen stilled, exhaling slowly and shaking his head. "Not right now, things are still a little hectic with the exorcists and all, so..."

With attention bought to the fact she finally noticed the white-clad figures milling about the docks and the strangely large amount of ships at port. "Ah." Was all she said, grabbing Laphicet's hand a little tighter. "We'd better not wait any longer then. I'll see you soon."

"Right." He nodded. "Don't go do anything reckless in the meantime."

For once a glint of humour emerged and she bit her lip as she met his gaze. "Who, me? Surely not." She chuckled as he narrowed his eyes. "I'll be in Loegres, you just focus on that recipe and I'll meet you in three weeks at the tavern."

Eizen nodded once more. "Fine. I'll be there." Hesitating, the blond Malak clicked his tongue and set a hand down on his shoulder. "I'll see you soon."

As he stepped away she followed his progress, a breathy sigh emerging once the brawler was back on the ship and out of sight. "Alright Laphi, the capital isn't too far ahead." The boy hesitantly nodded as she pulled him along and she barely paused as she approached the gates, stilling as the two guards beside the gate watched them approach and shared a look. "Is there a problem?" She asked coolly as they both stepped forward.

"No problem." One of the men spoke. "I, however, couldn't help noticing you look quite the capable warrior."

Slowly she blinked, raising an eyebrow as the man clenched his Polearm a little tighter. "Is there a problem?" She repeated dryly.

The other man approached closer, elbowing his partner and straightening proudly and as he spoke for the first time she noticed that both exorcists sounded young. "Miss, how would you like a chance to serve the people and atone for any transgressions of your past?"

Again she blinked, an absurd thought striking. "Wait, are you..." She hesitated. "...Trying to recruit me?"

"A day of great joy has occurred and the chance for atonement and progression is one that can't be denied. I would be remiss-"

Despite his passion she could hear the obvious tone of recital when she heard it and a bark of laughter escaped as she realized that they were probably younger than even she was. The exorcist recruit (Trainee, maybe?) stilled and she sighed as she realized she'd offended him. "Boys." She mumbled under her breath. Still, she did need to get into the city and it wouldn't go amiss to ingratiate herself with the current authorities, would it? A quick glance down at her brother's innocent confusion and she nodded. "Sure, why not? I'm going to Loegres anyway." She said.

The boy in armour perked up and quickly nodded and she winced as she heard the faint creak of his helmet. _'He'll regret that soon enough.'_ "Excellent! The next group heads out in half an hour-"

"No thanks." She cut across him. "I'd rather go on my own."

"A-Are you sure? I mean, there are daemons on the road..." He boggled behind his helmet and she shrugged a single shoulder half-heartedly, stepping past them and pushing at the gates with a single hand. "O-okay, just tell them that the guards... recruited you!" He rushed out.

As she stepped off of stone onto grass she could hear his partner pat him on the shoulder. _"You really have no luck with the ladies do you, Mikael?"_ A quiet giggle and she could see Laphicet watching the two as the gates closed.

Slowly a smile spread across her face and she turned her gaze across the plains, spotting clusters of monsters off to the sides of the area. Enough of the same and even daemons learned to avoid certain places it seemed. Still, with nearly half an hour until any chance of help... "Stay close." She warned her brother, moving forward with intent. For a moment the two were silent, however soon enough she could feel her brother's eyes boring into her. "What's wrong?" She finally asked.

"U-Um...!" Laphicet paused, glancing away nervously. "I was just wondering... Where did you learn to fight like that, Velvet?"

"From Artorius." She immediately responded.

The boy's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. Arthur never believed you could fight daemons, and that equipment's way too good to be dropped by some random person. What really happened? And how do you know Eizen?"

She considered the boy's intense stare for a moment and felt nostalgia for the past once more. "Why do birds fly, hm...?" She voiced, ignoring his startled gasp. "I can't tell you that, Laphi. Maybe in time, but right now it's something I need to do myself. Besides, we need to focus on finding a place to live and getting you that cure anyway, right?"

Her smile was brittle and she could see that he wasn't satisfied with her response, yet the boy didn't prod. "Alright. He relented. "And then you'll tell me?"

"Maybe." She acknowledged evasively.

A boy as curious as Laphicet wouldn't simply give up with that answer, of course, but that was all she was willing to give right now.

She simply wasn't ready for him to know everything else.


End file.
